England also jumped out to a victory, humbling Bulgaria 4-0 at Wembley, with Jermain Defoe striking for a hat trick.

Germany squeaked past Group A hosts Belgium 1-0 on a second-half Miroslav Klose strike, while Turkey assumed first place with a 3-0 walk at Kazakhstan.

In Group B, a Pavel Pogrebnyak double lifted Russia top with a 2-0 win at Andorra, while Keith Fahey's 76th-minute goal got Ireland past home side Armenia 1-0 in Yura Movsisyan's 90-minute international debut.